.png)
Hey! I’m Isaac. I created Wilderness Union because I wanted to make the magic of the outdoors accessible to more people.
I came to Toronto from England as a newcomer and discovering Ontario’s wilderness on my first backcountry trip restored a sense of wonder that I’d lost living in the city. You're Wild, you're meant to be outside and if you're not careful, civilization will tame you.
Getting out there can be difficult. You need transport, you need to know where to go, what gear to bring and find good adventure buddies to come with you.
The outdoors became my escape during the pandemic lockdowns and I was forced to figure out solutions to these problems. I’d plan a different adventure each weekend and soon a growing group of friends would tag along. These trips transformed a difficult time into the highlight of our weeks.
I returned to my career on Bay Street each Monday and became obsessed with the idea of making the benefits of wilderness exploration accessible to more people. I developed a vision - we’d figure out the transport, organize the kind of adventures people hadn’t seen before and create a whole community around it.
I left my job shortly after and have dedicated my time to this mission ever since. A year later, so many more have joined us and I’ve never been more confident about the need for Wilderness Union to exist.
We've adopted the words “One Wild and Precious Life” as an unofficial motto. It’s a line from the Mary Oliver poem, The Summer Day. It’s a rumination on awe in the face of nature, it’s the reason our van is named Grasshopper and it encapsulates why we do this. Getting into nature reminds us that we have just one wild, precious life and this is how we choose to make the most of it.
In our first year, we’ve had so many incredible experiences and the most extraordinary community has emerged. So many of our members have had the same revelation I did, falling in love with the wild and creating some of their closest friendships along the way. The community is constantly evolving as members contribute their own skills and passions, leading to the launch of our member-led clubs and activities.
Now, our mission has grown to help you connect with the outdoors wherever you are on your journey - whether you’re just getting started or have learned enough to be heading out on your own. I hope you'll join us!
Our guides do more than keep you safe. They'll teach you new skills and share their knowledge to give you a new lens on the places we visit.
Our Lead Guide and Head of Operations, Rory's superpower is making everyone feel safe and welcome on our adventures. With a background as an educator and experience leading expeditions across the world, he's always got something to teach you and probably get you laughing at the same time.
Like all of our backcountry guides, Rory has a Wilderness First Responder qualification, the gold standard of outdoor first aid for wilderness settings.
As a resident doctor with a particular interest in wilderness medicine, Sarah combines her medical expertise with outdoor skills to create safe, fun trips for everyone.
With a background in adaptive outdoor sports and experience managing unexpected challenges in the wild, she’s great at making sure all participants feel included and capable of connecting with the outdoors safely and confidently.
Our community is built on the unique experience that our members bring. From member-led clubs to the fun starters, here are some of our members who play an outsized role shaping Wilderness Union.
Social Media Manager
Laura's such a believer in Wilderness Union's mission of connecting people to the outdoors that she stepped up to run our socials.
Now, Laura's helping us share that mission and growing our Instagram as the creative force behind our posts.
Run Club Leader
Jordan joined WU along with his partner shortly after moving to Canada in 2023.
A keen runner, he co-leads our run club, affectionately named Wun Club. You'll find him on the roads each Thursday, planning routes and hyping us up to run, no matter what the weather!
Sustainability Lead
Meet Shivika and her frenchie, Bubster.
Shivika guides our eco stewardship to help minimize environmental harm caused by our operations and identify opportunities to have a positive impact on the planet through volunteering and more.
